Chapter 12

Mizuki seems to be extremely happy. He really likes that picture.

"If he's that amazing, I'd like to see him once, too." I said.

"But I thought you didn't want a tattoo, right?" Mizuki pointed out.

"Yeah."

"In that case, no way." He said.

"Huuh?" I let out a surprise yell looking at him in confusion.

"If you want to know why, it'd cost you 1 million yen."

"Expensive!" I shouted "That's some serious overcharging."

"Ahaha."

As we joke and laugh, the ringtone of my Coil sounds. "…Hm?" It was a call from Delivery Works. "Hello?"

"Ah, thank goodness it went through! Aoba-chan!?"

"Yes?"

"It's me, me! Yoshie!"

"What's the matter?"

"Oh my, it's serious! Very serious! Please listen to me and don't panic, okay?"

"…Okay." I responded very confused.

"Tae-san has…!"

"-! Granny!?"

Granny had fallen down.

After I hang up the phone call from Yoshie-san, I explain the situation to Mizuki and hurry out to Delivery Works. She fell down on her way to a patient's house where she was going to deliver some medicine that she had prescribed. She was then taken to the Delivery Works which happened to be nearby.

Anyway… I ran at full speed. My heart felt like it was about to explode and I had no breath left. My whole body is tense, my fingers and toes tingling. Granny's collapsed from overwork before. It was because of…me. It was because I made her worry all the time. I honestly regret what happened back then. When I think of actually losing Granny, I get so scared it makes me tremble. I don't want to think about it ever again.

Never again.

"…Guh…!"

I-I have to get to Granny quickly…!

Granny…!

"You people are just exaggerating things."

…That's the first thing I hear. When I rush into Delivery Works, I see Granny leaning back in a chair. After seeing that… I almost collapse on the spot. Granny had certainly fallen down. It turns out she can't move at all… In other words, she dislocated her hip. Apparently Yoshie-san who made the call had seen Granny in pain and was frightened to death. As soon as I enter the shop, she apologizes earnestly with an 'I'm so sorryyy'.

Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed, but… I'm also glad it's nothing serious. What a relief…

That said, Granny can't walk so I have to carry her home.

"Really, you people are just exaggerating things."

"…" Granny complains about the same thing as earlier while on my back. I walk home slowly to avoid moving her too much. "It can't be helped. Everyone's worried about you, Granny. I am too."

"I'm still healthy enough." Granny argued.

"I know that, but still."

Behind us, Ren follows, tapping along with his small legs.

"When I can't move a little you treat me like I'm going to die right away." Granny kicked me in the leg.

"Owowow. Don't kick me. Anyway, let's go to the hospital tomorrow? Okay?" Since Granny is quite rowdy for her age, I'm afraid I might drop her.

And…

She was light.

I never really thought too much about it, but was she always this small? This is the first time I'd ever carried her on my back.

"Thinking back, you used to be the one to carry me around." I spoke nostalgically.

"Hm?"

"I was just talking about the past."

"…Hmph. Because you always went off on your own." Granny said.

"On my own?"

"Yes. I would look away for a moment, and before I knew it you'd be gone."

"Is that so? I can't remember at all." I said.

"I'd get lonely."

"Lonely? Why?" I asked.

"Because you only started to go off on your own once your parents were gone." Granny told me.

"Ah…"

I see.

My memory of my parents is hazy. But I do remember the times when Granny carried me on her back. It was warm and smelled like her. I would always calm down.

"Well, that was when you were small, so I won't blame you. But now you're all grown up and stupid."

Ouch.

"That's just how it is." I said with a strain smile "At this age it's normal to act differently than you did as a kid."

"Nobody said anything about that." She said.

"Granny, could you carry me on your back like the old days? A challenge, seeing as we're both healthy enough?" I question her seriously.

"Don't spout nonsense. Are you trying to kill me?" Granny snaps at me.

"I'm just joking." I chuckled lightly.

"Hmph."

"…Granny." I began to speak after a short silence.

"What is it?"

"You're light."

"Shut your hole!"

"Ow!"

I'm slapped hard on the side of my head. But for some reason I being to feel happy and smile to myself. I'm so relieved that Granny's safe. When I think that someday this noisiness will be gone, I feel lonely. I walk silently down the darkening road, feeling Granny's warmth on my back.

The next morning I carried Granny on my back again and took her to the neighboring hospital. I thought I'd take the day off from my part-time job just in case, and called Haga-san. Even though it was called a hospital, this is the Old Resident District, so it meant the facilities were old and small, there were few doctors, and it was always crowded. It was wearing down here and there, and it couldn't be complimented on how sanitary it was, either. But all the people in the hospital were kind.

They knew Granny from earlier and when I called, they said we could come immediately. Granny hated going to the hospital and always said she could take care of herself, but today she obediently underwent the medical examination. Perhaps she had been enduring the pain out of pride. They said her hip wasn't that bad and it could be treated at home, so I carried Granny home after the examination. When I laid Granny on a futon and sighed, she said she'd only be sleeping so I should go to my job already.

I was still worried, but once Granny begins speaking, she won't listen to anything. When I talked with Haga-san on the phone, and he said it was okay if I could come as soon as I could for now, and I decided to go to the shop.

Ring

Ring

I feel uneasy as I go into the shop, and eventually I receive a message. It's from Koujaku.

Koujaku

(No Subject)

I saw Mizuki, but something seemed strange. When I talked to him, he kept spacing out and wouldn't react. I think you'd better off listening instead of me. If you have time, contact him. I'll come talk about the details later.

"Mizuki…" Something must be strange if Koujaku even sent me a message about it. Maybe he really is overdoing it… I leave the counter, walk towards the toilet, and call Mizuki. "…Hello? Mizuki?"

"…Aoba, huh? What's the matter?"

Good, he answered the phone. I feel a little relieved.

"Ah, nothing. I don't really have anything important to say, I just wanted to talk."

"What, we just saw each other yesterday. You're a weird girl."

"Nn… Naah. I was just wondering if you're okay." I asked ignoring his last comment.

"Course I am. Why?"

"Because when we met yesterday, I thought you didn't seem so hot. Just a little, though."

"So you called because you were worried. Thanks. But I'm okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Well then, let's talk some more another time."

"Right. Bye then." Mizuki said hanging up.

"…" After the call, I sigh and head back to the counter. There was no life in Mizuki's voice after all. He said he was okay, so I didn't listen too deeply, but…

On top of Granny falling down yesterday, my worries just keep growing. I hope they're just imaginary fears…

I spend the rest of the afternoon worrying about Mizuki and Granny, unable to concentrate on work. When I come back home after my part-time job, I restlessly try to open the lock on the front door.

I wonder if Granny behaved herself?

…However, I stop my hand halfway.

Something's strange.

"Huh?" When I insert the key, something feels different.

…Don't tell me.

"…It's open." The door isn't locked. Did I go out without locking it again…? "This is bad, Granny's inside… What do I do if something happened?" The bonds between the people in the community are strong, but security isn't tight, and it wasn't uncommon to hear of thieves.

I feel sick of my own forgetfulness and I enter the house, listening carefully.

…There doesn't seem to be any sign of people.

I take off my shoes and enter the corridor before heading straight to Granny's room. I open the door quietly and peep inside to find Granny sleeping buried in the futon.

Looks like nothing happened…

I heave a sigh of relief and return to the corridor.

"…Hm?"

I stop going up the stairs.

Something…felt strange.

It's quiet in the house because Granny was sleeping, and there's nothing particularly strange.

Is it my imagination?

I twist my neck as I walk up the stairs and open the door to my room.

…Inside, I realize that it wasn't just my imagination.

"Wha-what's all this…?" Not that it's anything to brag about, but my room was never particularly clean. There were books and magazines piled up on the floor, and there were also many things I just left there because cleaning them up would be a pain.

But… I don't remember it being this dirty.

The room is a complete mess, almost like a storm blew its way through it. There are no places left to stand. Everything has been pulled out, and even the table was turned over. And in the middle of it all sits something that I would've never wanted to see.

…A person is sitting in front of the computer monitor. Just boldly sitting there. I can only think of one thing this person might be. It's just like what I was thinking of earlier.

"Thief!" I yelled glaring daggers at the person "What are you doing in someone else's room!?"

The person in front of the computer looks up slowly as if he only just realizes my presence. He's completely unfamiliar face and I've never seen him before in my life. He seems to be about the same age as me.

"Welcome back."